Tag Archives: Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce

Beth Hilton abruptly resigned her position as executive director of the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce effective April 29. The board of directors has appointed Nate Emmons as interim executive director.

Emmons, of Oswego, previously served as the Chamber’s operations coordinator until about two months ago. He and his wife, Lisa, own the Mother Earth Baby boutique in Oswego.

Emmons could not provide any details about Hilton’s sudden resignation. Hilton had served as executive director since 2009.

“I don’t know the circumstances around it. I wasn’t made privy to anything surrounding her departure,” Emmons told The Valley News.

Emmons said he left his previous job with the Chamber two months ago to focus on opening a second location of Mother Earth Baby in Watertown.

Now that the store’s second location is running smoothly, the board of directors contacted him to take Hilton’s place while they search for a permanent executive director. Emmons could not provide a timeline or any details on the board’s search.

“I enjoy the Chamber. I believe in the Chamber’s mission and the board thought I could advance that mission. I’ll try to make that happen,” Emmons said. “I’m here to do the absolute best job I can for the Chamber, its members and the community. I can’t be concerned with anything else right now.”

The Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce recently moved to 106 W. Utica St. in Oswego and also has an office at 12 Canalview Mall in Fulton.

Before becoming chamber executive director, Hilton taught a class for University of Phoenix, was general manager of Tanger Factory Outlets, marketing director for the Beaufort Chamber of Commerce and director of sales and marketing for the Wisp Mountain Resort/Hotel.

Memorable moments – The tradition of the Oswego Independence Parade has been around for 50 years and created many memorable moments. Pictured is one favorite from years past, the late Len Ponzi, riding down the parade route in his Lake Shore Plumbing shower. The 50th Annual Oswego Independence parade will be held tomorrow, July 7 beginning at 1 p.m from. the Oswego High School and ending at the East Seventh Street tunnel at Fort Ontario.

When the Oswego Independence Parade steps off at 1 p.m. tomorrow, July 7 from the corner of Liberty and West Mohawk streets, it will be the 50th time the Oswego tradition has brought a sense of patriotism and celebration to the city streets.

While Oswego had hosted many parades on different occasions, it was during the early 1960s that friends and fellow Jaycee members Bill Greene and Bill Gregway decided that Oswego needed a bigger celebration for the nation’s birthday than just a fireworks display.

Thus, the tradition of the Oswego Independence Day Parade was born. The original parade had a budget of approximately $600 and started by the Oswego Hospital, traveling East to Fort Ontario.

Through the years, the Jaycees and Jayncees evolved the parade to an increased route and a celebration that included a drum corps show, originally held at Fort Ontario, then later moved to Wilbur Field at Leighton Elementary School.

When the local Jaycees group disbanded, several local service organizations stepped in to keep the tradition alive, and eventually the City of Oswego asked the local chamber of commerce to take over organizing the event.

For over 30 years, local businessman Jim Bushey and a group of volunteers spent countless hours designing, constructing and decorating floats. This year, Bushey plans to reconstruct a float he still has parts of in storage.

The Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce Independence Celebration Committee decided the most fitting way to celebrate the 50th installment of the parade was to invite the people who worked to bring the parade together over these many decades to be honored as the grand marshalls.

All members of the Jaycees, Jayncees, civic groups, chamber members and all volunteers are welcome to participate. Grand marshalls can choose to walk the parade route or ride on trolleys provided by Allen Chase Enterprises.

Those seeking to participate are asked to gather at the corner of Liberty and W. Mohawk streets by the Oswego High School by 12:30 p.m. Sunday, July 7.

Following the parade, NBT Bank will be sponsoring the annual Independence Celebration Concert. The Oswego High School Jazz Band will take the stage at Breitbeck Park at 7 p.m., followed by the Oswego City Band, which will play from 8:30 p.m. through the fireworks display, which begins at 9:45 p.m. over the Oswego Harbor. There will be food vendors and Good Times of Oswego will have several bounce houses available in the park during the concert.

Beth Hilton, executive director of the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce, was one of the Women of Distinction honored at the 100th Anniversary Gala sponsored by Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways.

The organization honored a total of 100 women, men and organizations in central New York “who inspire girls to achieve and lead,” according to NYPENN Pathways.

The event, which was held March 12 at the Syracuse OnCenter, celebrated 100 years of Girl Scouting.

“I am truly honored to receive such recognition,” Hilton said. “As a former Girl Scout as well as the mother of a pre-teen girl, it is important to me that I strive to always be a good role model simply by following many of the principles that I learned as a young woman growing up and are reinforced through the Girl Scouts as part of the Girl Scout Law.”

Hilton, an Oswego native, has served as the chamber’s executive director since May 2009. Previously, she was the general manager of Tanger Factory Outlet Centers in South Carolina.